Pakistani students studying Mandarin had the opportunity to showcase their language skills in front of distinguished Chinese scholars. The linguistic talent of young students surprised the judges and fascinated the audiences, including teachers and fellow students.

Eight students participated in the Chinese Bridge -Chinese Proficiency Competition 2017 held at National University of Modern Languages (NUML) on 24 May 2017. The competition was organized by Confucius Institute Islamabad, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and NUML.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan H.E. Sun Weidong was the chief guest of the ceremony while Rector NUML Major General (R) Zia ud Din Najam), Director General NUML Brig. Riaz Ahmed Gondal, Deans, Department heads of Chinese Department, Head of Confucius Institute, faculty members and a large number of students attended the event.

The 16th Chinese Bridge – Chinese Proficiency Competition is an annual contest to assess the Mandarin skills of students and highlighting the talent of Pakistani students.

The student had to deliver a speech in the Chinese language in the first part, answer questions of judges in the second part and perform a cultural/talent show in the third part songs to demonstrate their mastery in the Chinese language.

Tariq Aziz’s precise pronunciation, Chinese accent, and impressive nunchuck performance won the hearts of the audience. With 88.7 marks out of 100, he was declared the winner of the competition and was awarded a laptop along with the certificate of achievement.

Aziz said he was thankful to the judges. He is now eagerly looking forward to performing even better in the global contest to be held in China. Aziz will represent Pakistan at the final Chinese Bridge 2017 competition to be held in China later this year.

Learning Chinese is the new craze in Pakistan as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) gears up. When asked to share some tips for new students, Tariq Aziz told Islamabad Scene that “Chinese language is strange and bit difficult to grasp as there are no alphabets. New learners should focus on three key aspects of Pinyin which are: Initials, Finals, and Tones” to master the language in less time. The winner, Tariq Aziz, has been learning Chinese for about one year.

The second and third prize was received by two talented girls, Sundus Naeem and Samina Falak Naz, who impressed Chinese scholars with their linguistic skills and enthralling music performance.

Sundus Naeem performing on a Chinese song at Chinese Bridge Competition 2017

The other participants, Mehwish Mujeeb, Atiqa Mir, Siraj Iftikhar, Muazamil Ali and Mir Azam, were also honoured with certificates. All the participants were awarded latest smartphones.

It was a proud moment for the teachers. “I am delighted to see my students perform so well. I wish Tariq Aziz all the best for upcoming global Chinese Bridge competition in China” said Ma Xu, Chinese language teacher at Confucius Institute in Islamabad.

Chinese Ambassador Mr. Sun Weidong and NUML Director General NUML Brig. Riaz Ahmed Gondal appreciated the wonderful performance and efforts of the students. “I congratulate all the winners who displayed brilliant Chinese language skills,” Brig Riaz said, adding that the contest will strengthen ties between Pakistani and Chinese youth. He also extended his gratitude to the Chinese Embassy for supporting the event.

Launched in 2002, the “Chinese Bridge” competition plays an ever-growing role in promoting the study of Chinese language and the understanding of Chinese culture among young people across the world.

Eight participating students at the Chinese Bridge 2017 contest at NUML

Chinese Bridge – Chinese Proficiency Competition

The “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition is an international contest organized by Confucius Institute Headquarters, Hanban. The contest aims to stimulate the interest of foreign students in learning the Chinese language. Chinese Bridge has become a vital platform for worldwide college students to learn Chinese language and learn about China.

The contest tests students’ Chinese language expertise, knowledge about China, Chinese cultural skills, and learning abilities. Students who win the initial rounds held in their countries qualify for final challenge in China and also get scholarships to further their studies in China.